MOSCOW. April 23 (Interfax) – More than 20 ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet have returned to their bases upon completion of maneuvers in Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
“More than 20 warships of the Black Sea Fleet have returned to their bases after taking part in the joint-force exercise of [forces of] the Southern Military District and the Airborne Forces, which wrapped up at the Opuk range in Crimea yesterday,” the Defense Ministry said.
Airborne Forces personnel have loaded hardware and weapons onto trains at a railway station in Simferopol and are now heading to their base, the ministry said.
“In all, some 40 military trains will be used to relocate units of the Airborne Forces back to their bases, and Military-Transport Aviation planes will perform more than 30 flights,” it said.
On April 22, 2021, the Opuk range in Crimea hosted the main phase of a surprise combat preparedness inspection in the forces of the Southern Military District and the Airborne Forces.
The active phase of the joint-force exercise in Crimea involved more than 10,000 servicemen and 1,200 weapons and pieces of military hardware, including more than 40 ships and motorboats, 20 support vessels, and up to 200 aircraft.
